Jack for lifting automotive vehicles



Oct. 11, 1938. e. c. M MURRAY JACK FOR LIFTING AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Filed Aug. 22, 1936 Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 41 Application All!!! 22, 1936, Serial No. 97,434

1 Claim. (Cl. 254-94) My invention relates to improvements in jacks for lifting automotive vehicles, and the objects of my invention are to provide an attached jacking device as part of the running equipment ofsuch a vehicle, one that can be positioned from the interior of the vehicle, and one that is dependent on the powered movement of the vehicle to raise a wheel or wheels off the'ground for repairs or tire changing, the device being so designed 1 and operable that it can also-be used as a holdfast when parked, as also when starting on an upgrade to thus dispense with the necessity of applying the brakes, as is generally resorted to.

A further provision in connection with the device is an auxiliary rear wheel braking system, the object of which is to prevent rotation of the rear wheel that is to be raised in order to assure traction by the other wheel for raising the said rear wheel by means of the jacking device, such a braking action on either rear wheel being also a convenience when endeavoring to extricate the vehicle from a mired situation on the road.

I attain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a view of the front end of an automotive vehicle showing the jack in place and the front of the chassis raised by the jack.

Fig. 2 shows a side view in part of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a sectional side view of typical wrist pin bearing block.

Fig. 4 illustrates in perspective the short leading lifting strut.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the lifting strut that fits into the strut in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a rear view of Fig. 5.

, Fig. 7 isa side view of the longest strut disposed adjacent to the strut seen in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a rear view of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view showing the rear axle raised by one jack with one wheel ofi the ground.

Fig. 10 shows a side view of a rear jack in raised position.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

5 I represents a forward lateral or cross member of the chassis of an automotive vehicle, to which a wrist-pin bearing block 2 is rigidly attached on the under side as shown, or on any preferred side. Any convenient forward, lateral or cross 50 member could be utilized for ,this purpose. The object of the said bearing block 2 is to support in pivotal suspension by means of a wrist-pin 3 a plurality of lifting struts 4, 5 and 6, each said strut being pivotally mounted at its top end on 55 the said wrist-pin 3. lifting struts or leg members are designed so that the shortest leading member 4 is channel shaped with flanges rearwardly projecting in order to house the adjacent longer leg member 5 that projects downwardly slightly beyond the lower end of the first 5 mentioned channel shaped member 4. In this particular construction the third leg member 6 lies immediately adjacent to and rearwardly of the said leg member 5, and projects downwardly slightly beyond the lower end of this middle leg 10 member 5. These struts or leg members have serrated edges at their bottom ends at I for proper hold on the road surface.

Lugs 8, projecting rearwardly from the flanges of the leg member 4, act as guides for the other 15 adjacent leg members when being let. down and pulled up during use. A cable 9 is connected to v the said lugs 8 by means of a saddle yoke ill for lowering and raising this device, such controllable means terminating and being disposed within the 20 vehicle. A system of push and pull rods and levers could readily be substituted for the cable control. The shapes of the leg members 4, 5 and 6 are typically shown in Figs. 4 to 8 respectively, where the upper end 4a of member 4 is flanged to re- 25 ceive and bear pivotally upon the wrist-pin 3, the said pin 3 hearing within the bearing block 2 as before mentioned. The upper end of member 5 is lugged at 50. anddrilled to bear pivotally upon the said wrist-pin 3. Also the upper end of the 30 member 6 is lugged, drilled, and slotted as at 611 to receive the upper end 511 of the said member 5, so as to bear pivotally upon the said wrist-pin 3. The housing side 2a of the bearing block 2 acts as a stop limiting the radial swing of the leg struts 5 and is forwardly inclined for reasons stated later.

The operation of this device as so far described and illustrated is as follows: The leg members 4, 5 and 6 are lowered together when the vehicle is 40 stationary, the legs resting on the ground in angular positions. As soon as the vehicle is driven in a reverse or backward direction these legs consecutively contact firmly on the ground to gradually raise the front wheels off the road until the longest leg stands firmly at a slightly forward angle with respect to the perpendicular, such angle depending on the angularity of the stop member 2a.

This description has so far referred only to the raising of the front wheels of a vehicle. Figs. 9 and 10 refer specifically to the applications of this same device for raising a rear wheel. The two jacks H and I! for raising purposes are similar in construction to the forward jack, ex-

cept that they are si ightly longer. The operation is the sameyand they are likewise controlled from the interior of the vehicle. The method of attachment to the rear axle I3 is typically shown at ll, this being a strap welded to the axle and to which the bearing block 2 is fixedly attached. The raising of a rear wheel by means of one of these rear jacks, as illustrated, is performed by driving the vehicle slowly forward after the leg members have been lowered to the ground. 'I'he raised axle will directly lift one wheel off the ground as desired, and by backing the vehicle the reverse action is effected, and the wheel will rest on the road. The disposition of these rear jacks asshown, is the reverse of the forward jack.

To enable one wheel to maintain power' connection with the driving elements jof the: vehicle when the other rear wheel is raised; it is essential that the wheel to be raised must be arrestedfrom rotating. Very slight pressure only is required to eflect this. A laterally disposed brake rod [5 is slidably snspended'from the chassis frame, being controlled for lateral movement by a hand lever is pivotaliy mounted on a ratchet plate 51, the said plate being attached to a cross member I. of the chassis. I'he lever i6 is manually operable from the inside of the rear deck compartment, and is sprung to engage the ratchet teeth of the plate I'I. By lateral pressure the lever operates the brake rod IS, the ends of which contact the rim of one or other of the wheels to hold it fast. This principle and braking system will also serve to be of value when traction is required with one wheel only for extricating' the vehicle from a mud-hole or slippery roads. Owing to extreme simplicity of my device the same can be manufactured at low cost, and will be strong, durable and efliclent in operation.

Having shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various alterations in the size, shape, and arrangement number of parts may be resorted to without departing from the splritof the inyention and the scope of the appended claims.

5 It is also to be understeod that whereas a plurality of struts or leg members is specified and claimed, a single strut or leg member may be employed in each; jack, to be manipulated in the same manner as the said multi-leg combination. I 10 7 is W What :1 claim as my 'jlnvention and desire to secure by Letters Patenti is- In an automotive vehicle lifting jack, a bearing bracket having a socket open at one side, a wrist pin within the socket of said bracket, a channel; 20

shaped elongated strut pivotally suspended at one end from said wrist pin having parallel ears pro- Jecting from its longitudinal edges intermediate the length thereof, a saddle yoke pivotally connected to the ears of said channel strut, a second 25 solid strut of greater iength then the channel strut plvotally suspended at one end from said wrist pin and adapted to nest within the channel strut. a third solid strut of greater length then said second strut pivotally suspended at one end from said wrist pin in parallel relation to said second strut and confined between the ears of the channel strut, a cable connected to said yoke for raising and lowering said struts, and a stop formed by the wall of said socket for limiting the pivotal movement of said struts when lowered to an operative position.

GILBEVI' CLH'FORD MAOMURRAY. 

